Earth boring machine



Feb. 7, 1967 J. v. BELLSMITH 3,392,?3U

EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g INVENTORJOHN V. BELLSMITH 1957 J. v. BELLSMITH 3,3@2,73@

EARTH BORING MACHINE Filed Sept. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 22JOHN v. BELLSMITH United States Patent 3,302,730 EARTH BORING MAC JohnV. Bellsmith, 5592 Crow Canyon Road, Hayward, Calif. 94546 Filed Sept.5, 1963, er. No. 395,348 3 Claims. (Cl. 173-48) The invention relates toa vehicle-mounted earth-boring machine for actuating a hole-diggingauger.

Essentially, the mechanism and controls of the present earth boringmachine are all unitarily carried by a twowheeled cart or trailerchassis in such a manner that the unit may be readily moved to andbetween, and operatively installed at, difierent working locations, andrequires a minimum of ground preparation for operatively disposing it atsuch locations.

A more specific object is to provide a boring machine of the presentcharacter which readily provides an adjusted angle of boring of itsanger with respect to the vertical.

Another object is to provide the earth-boring machine with a means whichadapts it for its ready installation and gravity retention in positionfor its use at different Working points.

An added object is to provide an earth boring machine such that itsground-engaging parts are held clear of the ground while its chassis isdisposed for a shifting of the machine between working points.

A further object is to provide a unitary earth-boring machine of thecharacter described having a particularly simple and effectiveauger-positioning and actuating means therefor.

Yet another object is to provide a particularly simple auger-actuatingmeans which is operative independent ly of the working positioning ofthe auger.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth or be apparent in thefollowing description of a typical embodiment of my invention, and inthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an earth-boring machine embodying myfeatures of invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of a vehicular chassiswhich carries the mechanisms of the machine.

FIGURE 3 is a front view of the machine lacking its vehicular supportand the controls for its mechanisms.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the machine.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side section taken generally from the line 5-5in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view taken from the line 6-6 in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view taken from the line 7-7 in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 8 is a side elevation of the machine having a left-side portionof the chassis broken away.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary View taken at or below the line 99in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary elevation of an upper forward part of themachine taken from the right side of the machine.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary elevation taken from the rear of the upperpart of the mechanism shown in FIG- URE 10.

As particularly disclosed, the operative mechanism of the presentunitary earth-boring machine is carried by a vehicular support of a carttype in which the operative parts of the machine are carried on awheeled frame or chassis 14 comprising spaced and mutually coplanar sidemembers 15 and 16 mutually connected and supported near their forwardends by an underlying axle 17 termi- 3,3@Z,730 Patented Feb. 7, 1967nally carried on wheels 18 and rigidly connected at their other ends bya cross-member 19 which mounts a suitable hitch assembly 20 for use inattaching the machine to a power-driven vehicle for moving the machineabout. The various working elements of the present machine are supportedby a rigid carriage 21 which is adjustable on and along the sides of anupright frame member 22 of inverted U-shaped conformation havingmutually parallel straight sides or legs 23 and 24- to whichcorresponding ends of the chassis sides 15 and 16 closest to the axle 17are terminally fixed at selected lower points thereof. The frame member22 is further attached to the side members 15 and 16 by like brace bars25 and 26 extending obliquely forwardly and upwardly from correspondingintermediate points of the said side members in fixed angular relationthereto to hingedly bolted connections with corresponding fixed pointsof the respective sides 23 and 24 of the member 22 suitably fixed to theconnected members, while the portions of the chassis 14 rearwardly ofthe axle 17 cooperatively provide a positioning handle or a draft tonguefor the machine.

It will now be noted that the carriage 21 mounts a suitableground-penetrating boring auger 27 having shank and spiral bit portions28 and 29 and carried on the carriage 21 for its axial reciprocation ina line equidistant from the sides 23 and 24 of the frame member 22 andparallel to the common plane thereof, and that said plane is angularlyrelated to the plane of the chassis sides 15 and 16 in such a. relationthereto that the auger axis may be upright for a working application ofthe auger when the hitch end of the chassis is appropriately raisedabove the position at which it would be disposed while hitched to atowing vehicle. Also, the center of gravity of the presentcarriage-mounted assembly is arranged to be and remain forwardly of avertical plane through the axis of support provided by the cooperativewheels 18 as the assembly is rocked about said axis, whereby the member22 is constantly urged downwardly by gravity to supportedly engage anunderlying ground surface to determine the angular relation of the augeraxis to the vertical.

In the present assembly, the bottom ends of the side portions 23 and 24of the frame member 22 are preferably provided with suitableground-engaging support feet 31 having bottom bearing portions 31' fordetermining the application line of the auger 27. As particularly shownin FIGURES 2 and 3 and 8 and 10, the support feet 31 are provided at thebottom of elongated angle-bar members 32 which have flanges 32' fixed toand oppositely outstanding from and along the frame legs 23 and 24 whiletheir other flanges 32" extend rearwardly and have the forward ends ofthe chassis side members 15 and 16 fixed thereto by bolts 33 selectivelyengaged in corresponding holes 34 of lines thereof provided transverselythrough and along the flanges 32" whereby the angnlarity of the forwardframe member 22 to the plane of the chassis 14 may be adjustably fixed,the arrangement being essentially such that the present machine isarranged to be utilized while the support feet 31 are operative atopposite sides of an application point for the auger for then providinga gravity determination of the position of the frame member 22.

As particularly shown, a lower platform 35 of the carriage 21 isprovided at opposite sides thereof with tubular slide blocks 36 integraltherewith and complementarily receiving intermediate portions of thesides 23 and 24 of the frame member 22, which portions have uniformexterior cross-sections complementary to the uniform ex tericrs of saidframe sides and cooperatively provide a sliding cantilever support forthe carriage which includes the platform portion 35 connecting the slideblocks 36 transversely and intermediate thereof and extends fixedly andrearwardly from between the slide blocks 36 toward the axis of thesupport wheels 18 and carries the auger with its shank 28 in supportedswiveled relation to it and with the auger axis in the plane of theframe 22 and midway between the frame sides. A double-acting hydraulicjack 37 is cooperative between the bracket platform and an upperrearward point of the frame member 22 for adjustably supporting thebracket 21 from the member 22 which is understood to function as a guidefor the movable carriage 21 and the auger carried by it. In the presentstructure, the cylinder 38 of the jack 37 is fixed to the member 2.2 ata top connection 22' of the member at its return-bend portion, while thepiston rod 39 of the jack depends from a piston (not shown) in thecylinder 38 to a bottom clevis' connection 39 with a cross-bar 40 offsetrearwardly from the plane of the slide blocks 36 and fixedly connectingthe bottom ends of said blocks below the bracket platform 35, wherebythe spacial relation of the auger to the ground surface engaged by thesupport feet 31 is controllable by the use of the jack.

The upright front frame member 22 carries at its top a suitable powerunit 41 for axially positioning the bracket-carried auger 27 by movablyadjusting the carriage 21, with said power unit being indicated ascomprising an internal combustion motor or engine having itspower-output shaft 42 appropriately connected with a hydraulic pump 43which is mounted on the carriage platform 35 and is operative to effecta piston-actuating circulation of the actuating liquid for theauger-positioning jack 37 as desired during a use of the presentmachine. As indicated in FIGURE 4, the bracket-carried engine 41 has acarburetor 44 and a fuel supply tank 45 unitarily associated with it,and its shaft 42 is connected with the shaft 46 of the pump 43 by adrive belt or chain 47 connecting pulleys or sprockets 48 and 49 mountedrespectively on the power shaft 42 and on the rearwardly extending endof the pump shaft 46 which is disposed in a fore-and-aft relation to themachine.

It will now be noted (FIGURES 5 to 7) that the shank 28 of the auger 27depends from Within a depending sleeve extension 51 of a gear housing 52for a power-transmission and speed-reducing gearing (not shown) fixedlycarried on the carriage 21 and having the auger shank 28 supportedlyswiveled in said extension, and said gearing suitably connects the augershank 28 with a power-driven shaft 53 extending rearwardly from thehousing and comprising the shaft of an internal combustion motor orengine 54 mounted on the platform 35 forwardly of the housing 52.Corresponding to the motor 41, the present motor 54 has a carburetor 55and a fuel-supply tank 56 associated with it.

For facilitating the use of the present machine, the carburetors 44 and55 for the independently operable internal combustion engines 41 and 54preferably include control devices (not shown) such that said engines,while operating, have their operative speeds automatically maintained atadjustably predetermined set values, whereby the rate of circulation ofthe jack-actuating liquid for controlling the movable bracket 21 and thedesired speed of actuation of the operating auger 27 may beindependently and automatically maintained during a use of the machine.Also, each of the present power units comprising the internal combustionengines 41 and 54 for respectively actuating the jack 37 and the auger27 is provided with a suitable starting device (not shown).

As indicated in FIGURES 1 and 8 and 10, the circulation of thejack-actuating liquid is controllable through appropriate settings of areciprocable three-way valve plug 60 of a valve unit 61 mounted on thechassis 14, and has flexible tube connections 62 and 63 with the spaceof the jack cylinder 38 at opposite sides of the jack piston forreversedly controlling the circulation of the jack-operating liquid froma closed carriage-mounted reservoir 64 through flexible tube connections65 and 66 with the pump 43 and from the pump to said cylinder ends byappropriate settings of a control handle 67 for the valve plug 61 of theunit 60. As shown, the valve unit 60 is carried by a bracket 68 which isfixed to the chassis member 15 at a point thereof intermediate of itslength and rearwardly of the corresponding support wheel 18 whereby thecontrol for the lowering and raising of the carriage 21 and the auger 27is at a point remote therefrom and is independent of the actuation ofthe auger-driving motor 54.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the advantages of the present earth boring machine will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art to which the inventionappertains. While I have shown and described a structure and arrangementwhich I now consider to be a preferred embodiment of my invention, Idesire to have it understood that the showings are primarilyillustrative, and that such changes and developments may be made, whendesired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

1. In a unitary earth-boring machine comprising an elongated rigidvehicular chassis intermediately carried on a ground-engaging supportmeans for its normally permitted rocking about its axis of support andumtarily carrying at a forward end thereof in upwardly extendingrelation thereto a frame adjustably supporting a carriage mounting aunitary earth-penetrating auger adapted for its working application inan upright line fixedly related to the carriage, a drive mechanismcooperative between the frame and carriage for effecting up-and-dowrradjustments of the carriage, separate drive mechanisms; cooperativebetween the carriage and auger for actuating the auger, the center ofgravity of the machine assembly being dipsosed forwardly of said axis ofground support of its chassis, and a ground-engaging foot means providedat the bottom end of said carriage-mounting frame and adapted for itsnormal gravital engagement with the ground adjacent the working line ofthe auger while disposing the chassis in upwardly sloping relation withrespect to the point of attachment of the carriage-supporting framethereto, whereby a lowering of the rearward end of the chassis isoperative to lift the carriage-support= ing frame clear of the groundfor a location-changing movement of the machine on the ground supportfor the chassis.

2. In a unitary earth-boring machine comprising an elongated vehicularchassis providing a pivoting ground= engaging support meansintermediately of its length and directly carrying at the forward endthereof in upwardly extending angularly fixed relation thereto a rigidframe supporting a carirage adjustably mounted on said frame forup-and-down movements therealong and mounting an earth-penetrating augerfixedly related to the carriage, said machine assembly comprising aself-contained unit having its center of gravity disposed forwardly ofits ground-supporting means, a ground-engaging foot means provided atthe bottom end of said carriage-mounting frame and adapted for itsnormal supporting engagement with the ground laterally of and adjacentthe working line of the auger by the action of gravity to cooperate withsaid pivoting support means of the chassis adjacent a working point ofthe auger, and independently operative drive mechanisms cooperativebetween the frame and the carriage and between the carriage and theauger for simultaneous or selective control for respectively effectingheight adjustments of the carriage along said frame and actuating theanger, with the control means for the carriage-positioning mechanismprovided on the chassis and the control means for the auger-actuatingmechanism provided on the carriage.

3. In an earth-boring machine comprising an elongated vehicular chassisintermediately providing an underlying transverse axis of rockingsupport from the ground of the machine assembly rearwardly of its centerof gravity and unitarily carrying at the forward end thereof in upwardlyextending and angularly adjustable relation thereto a rigid framesupporting a carriage adjustably mounted on said frame for up-and-downmovement therealong and mounting in fixed relation thereto anearth-penetrating auger in adjusted relation along an upright line ofapplication and also mounting independently operative drive mechanismsfor mutually independent use in respectively effecting heightadjustments of the carriage along said frame and for actuating theauger, and a ground-engaging foot means provided at the bottom end ofsaid carriage-mounting frame and adapted for the normal supportingengagement of the frame and forward chassis with the ground laterally ofand adjacent the working line of the auger by the action of gravitywhile then disposing the chassis in upwardly sloping relation withrespect to the point of attachment of the carriage-supporting framethereto whereby a lowering of the portion of the chassis rearwardly ofits rocking axis will lift the foot means of the frame from the groundto pro- 20 vide for the use of the lowered said rear chassis portion asa draft tongue for use positioning the machine at a working pointtherefor.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/ 1898 Tipton17322 8/1942 Mathews 173-23 7/1949 McCardell 173-22 4/1953 Gunning 1732212/1953 Abrams 173-26 3/1956 Bailey 173-26 12/1956 Jones 173-22 1/1960Hitchcock 17322 6/1960 Kromberg 173-26 6/1965 Jamer et a1 17322 FOREIGNPATENTS 3/1952 Australia.

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, MILTON KAUFMAN,

Examiners.

L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A UNITARY EARTH-BORING MACHINE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED RIGIDVEHICULAR CHASSIS INRERMEDIATELY CARRIED ON A GROUND-ENGAGING SUPPORTMEANS FOR ITS NORMALLY PERMITTED ROCKING ABOUT ITS AXIS OF SUPPORT ANDUNITARILY CARRYING AT A FORWARD END THEREOF IN UPWARDLY EXTENDINGRELATION THERETO A FRAME ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING A CARRIAGE MOUNTING AUNITARY EARTH-PENETRATING AUGER ADAPTED FOR ITS WORKING APPLICATION INAN UPRIGHT LINE FIXEDLY RELATED TO THE CARRIAGE, A DRIVE MECHANISMCOOPERATIVE BETWEEN THE FRAME AND CARRIAGE FOR EFFECTING UP-AND-DOWNADJUSTMENTS OF THE CARRIAGE, SEPARATE DRIVE MECHANISMS COOPERATIVEBETWEEN THE CARRIAGE AND AUGER FOR ACTUATING THE AUGER, THE CENTER OFGRAVITY OF THE MACHINE ASSEMBLY BEING DISPOSED FORWARDLY OF SAID AXIS OFGROUND SUPPORT OF ITS CHASSIS, AND A GROUND-ENGAGING FOOT MEANS PROVIDEDAT THE BOTTOM END OF SAID CARRIAGE-MOUNTING FRAME AND ADAPTED FOR ITSNORMAL GRAVITAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GROUND ADJACENT THE WORKING LINE OFTHE AUGER WHILE DISPOSING THE CHASSIS IN UPWARDLY SLOPING RELATION WITHRESPECT TO THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT OF THE CARRIAGE-SUPPORTING FRAMETHERETO, WHEREBY A LOWERING OF THE REARWARD END OF THE CHASSIS ISOPERATIVE TO LIFT THE CARRIAGE-SUPPORTING FRAME CLEAR OF THE GROUND FORA LOCATION-CHANGING MOVEMENT OF THE MACHINE ON THE GROUND SUPPORT FORTHE CHASSIS.